Bathinda, March 8
Members of the Anganwadi Workers Union chose the International Women's Day to organise a state-level rally in the city here today. On their way from the Grain Market to the office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC), they raised slogans against the SAD-BJP government and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Before concluding the dharna, they also sat outside the gate of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Before holding the rally, the anganwadi workers and helpers had assembled at the Grain Market. Addressing the workers, their leaders accused the state government of sitting on funds meant for the Anganwadi workers, helpers, ASHA workers, mid-day meal cooks and several other women, working on contract basis in other government departments.

Pointing out that if the Haryana government could pay its Anganwdi workers Rs 7,500 and helpers Rs 3,750, the protesters asked what was holding back the Punjab government from doing so. Also present during the dharna were Raghunath Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Harbans Singh, Gurmeet Kaur, Charanjit Moga, Prakash Kaur and other union activists. 

Bathinda, March 8
It seems that the tag of “angutha chaap” (illiterate) is attached to more women sarpanches of Bathinda as compared to men. Out of 223 sarpanches in six blocks, 40 are illiterate, 11 graduates, 10 have studied up to Class XII, two are postgraduates and others are not even matriculates.

Women form a majority of illiterate sarpanches i.e. 25 whereas there are 15 illiterate men sarpanches.

As per the data procured under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by Pardeep Goyal of Parasram Nagar, most of the sarpanches have studied up to Class X and one of them is a BTech degree holder. A majority of the sarpanches is of those who studied up to Classes II, III, IV, VIII or X.

“With most of sarpanches not being able to read or write properly, they depend upon the other ‘literate’ people to read or write the government letters or communiqué,” Pardeep said.

He pointed out that illiteracy becomes a major stumbling block in bringing about change or development in the rural areas and the illiterate sarpanches remain incommunicado during the village, district or once in a blue moon-state level meetings that are held.

“They would even fail to bring solution to the common problems of villagers in an effective manner as compared to those who are literate,” Goyal said.

“Though sometimes, illiterate sarpanches drive the most literates away during debates or over the issue of seeking grants from the state government they fail to decipher applications or letters and depend upon the others,” said a woman sarpanch, Rajwinder Kaur, a graduate from Nandgarh village. She pointed out that she knew some illiterate sarpanches who were befooled by others by reading out something else rather than the actual contents of a letter or application. Many illiterate sarpanches had also put stamps or thumb impression to attest false or fake pieces and later landed in controversies. Rajwinder is among two women in the district who are graduates.

A postgraduate sarpanch said that illiterate voters get easily influenced by the candidates to support an uneducated person who, though is articulate in delivering a lecture fails to bringing reforms or changes in society. Rajwinder Brar, a schoolteacher, said voters should think twice before casting their votes for an uneducated person.

Bathinda, March 8
Working hard to attain 100 per cent results for the anti-copying campaign, launched by the state Education Department last year, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has released a list of guidelines for the schools to be followed while conducting the PSEB board examinations for Classes X and XII.

The schools have been directed to make sure that the examination halls are located only on the ground and the first floors of the schools building. The PSEB has also asked the schools to leave the main gates unlocked while the examinations are on to make ease the movement of squads conducting surprise checking. However, the schools will also have to make sure that any unauthorised person should not enter or roam around on the school premises.

While the school examination controller (school heads) have been asked not to interfere in the procedure of the examination, the responsibility of the smooth conduct of fair examinations will lie on the centre superintendent.

The schools heads have also been made responsible for making sure that no class IV employee will enter the examination halls on the pretext of providing drinking water to the students. The schools heads will also have to make sure that washrooms and the area where drinking water is available are free of any kind of material which may aid copying.

The schools have also been asked to make sure that no official from the education or any other government department should enter the examination centre unless authorised to do so. In case, such a person is found by the checking squad, a departmental inquiry will be initiated against him.

To make sure that the teachers-turned-examiners attend to work, the PSEB has directed them to mark their attendance at the schools where they are employed as teachers on days when no examination is scheduled to be held at the centre where they are deputed as examiners.

A control room has been constituted at the office of the District Education Officer (Secondary).

Parents, students, examiners or controllers may report any cases of cheating at the control room.

It is noteworthy that the state anti-copying campaign was launched by the Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka in August last year and the monthly meeting of the Education Department, held in February also focussed on the anti-cheating campaign.

During the meeting, the minister had directed all the teachers, principals and the DEOs to plug all loopholes in the security system to root out the evil of cheating.

Bathinda, March 8
International Women’s Day was celebrated at the Regional Group of Colleges, Behman Diwana in Bathinda here today. The students participated in events like poster making, collage making, slogan writing, applying mehendi, rangoli making and other contest with enthusiasm and fervour. A declamation contest was also organised on the topic “Inspiring Change for Women” on the occasion.

Chief guest at the event, Dr Narinder Singh, director (finance), Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, shared his views regarding the equal status of women in Indian society. Manoj Baghla, principal of Polytecnic College and Namrata Goyal, principal of the Degree College, shared the importance of this day with the students.

In the poster making competition, Mandeep Singh (sixth semester, mechanical engineering) bagged the first position while Meenu (computer science engineering, fourth semester) bagged the second position and the third position went to Nisha (computer science engineering, sixth semester).

In the collage making competition, Gopal (civil engineering, second semester) was declared the winner. In the slogan writing competition, Swati Bansal (information technology, fourth semester) bagged the first prize while the second prize went to Gurmail Singh (mechanical engineering, sixth semester) and the third prize went to Mohit Kumar (mechanical engineering, second semester).

In the mehandi application competition, Nisha, Reetu and Aarti won the first, second and third positions, respectively. In the rangoli making competition, the first three positions went to Rajwinder, Amandeep and Sumandeep, respectively. In the declamation contest, Alinpreet, Kanika and Sarbjeet bagged the first three positions, respectively.

While giving away prizes to the winning students, chief guest Dr Narinder Gupta appreciated the efforts of the college and also encouraged the students to participate in extra-curricular activities to move forward towards achieving all-round development.

The SSD College for Women also organised a function to celebrate the day. The NSS and Youth Club units of the college organised the event. While the chief guest on the occasion was the District Education Officer (elementary education) Dr Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta, AEO Pvittar Kaur was present as the special guest.

President of the college, Nand Lal Garg, secretaries PK Garg and Ajay Gupta, college principals Parminder Kaur Tanghi, Sukhbir Kaur and Manisha Bhatnagar were also present.

The function was inaugurated with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. This was followed by a fancy dress competition in which many students of the college participated.

Addressing the students, the guests and principals exhorted the students to work hard to move towards their goals and be confident of their abilities. The Triveni Club for Women also organised a function in the city. The function was presided over by the District Education Officer (Elementary) Dr Amarrjit Kaur Kotfatta who is also president of the club.

During the programme, members were told about importance of the day. Vice-president of the club Tej Kaur Chahal recited a poem dedicated to the International Women’s Day.

Bathinda, March 8
City physician Dr Vitull Gupta has been invited to participate in Airway Vista 2014, Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases Symposium being held on March 28 and March 29 2014 at Asan Medical Centre in Seoul, South Korea.

The Airway Vista 2014 is hosted by the Obstructive Lung Disease Research Foundation, South Korea, since 2008.

The scientific programme of symposium includes most significant advances in researches of chronic airway diseases, COPD and asthma.

Bathinda, March 8
The annual athletics meet was organised by Malwa College on its campus, here today. Navneet Singh and Manreet Kaur were adjudged the best male and female athletes, respectively. Shaheed Bhagat Singh House was adjudged the best house.

The athletics meet was inaugurated by Dr Ranbit Kingra, principal of Guru Gobind Singh College, Sanghera. After taking salute from an impressive march past by students, he addressed the students and advised them to maintain good mental and physical health to survive in today’s competitive world.

Arjuna awardee Palwinder Singh Cheema, DSP Bathinda, was present as the chief guest during the prize distribution ceremony. Addressing the students, he underlined the importance of sports in the life of a student. He also exhorted the students not to opt for shortcuts and rather dream big and work hard.

Honorary director of the college, Dr Shardev Singh Gill, urged the students to shun drugs and develop good habits to lead a better life. College dean Prof NK Gossain thanked the guests.

The meet was organised under the supervision of Prof Bilramjeet Singh, while the stage was conducted by Prof Navpreet Singh and Manpreet Kaur.

In the boys’ category, Jaspal Singh won the 100m race, Sukhwinder Singh won the 200m race, while Navneet Singh won both the 400m and 800m races. Jaswant Singh bagged the top position in the long jump competition, while Satrup Datta won the shot put contest. Harpreet Singh won the high jump competition, while Jaswant Singh and Gagandeep Singh won the three-legged race. Shaheed Bhagat Singh house won the tug of war competition.

In the girsl’ category, Parvati Rani won the 100m race, while Soni Kaur won the 200m race and Manreet Kaur won the 400m race. Randeep Kaur and Shalini won the three-legged race, while Manreet won the long jump contest. Harjinder Kaur bagged the top position in the shot put competition and Rampi Kaur won the pitcher race. In the girls’ category, too, Shaheed Bhagat Singh House won the tug of war competition. 

Bathinda, March 8
Jasveer Kaur and Jaspreet Singh were named the best female and male athletes during the annual athletic meet of the Master Mind College of Education, Gehri Butter, organised here today. Director of the Giani Zail Singh PTU Campus, Dr Jasbir Singh Hundal, was the chief guest of the meet on the first day.

Rajinder Singh, principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Mehta, was the chief guest on the second day of the meet.

While Jaspreet Singh won the 400m race, Gagandeep Kaur won the same event in the girls' category.

Gurpiyar Singh won the discus throw competition, while Gursewak Singh won the sack race and Neeraj Dod won the obstacle race. Sukhjeet Kaur won the pot race. Sri Aurobindo House won the relay race, while Sarojini Naidu House bagged the second prize.

Bathinda, March 8
Max Super Speciality Hospital organised a health check-up camp and health talk at Giani Zail Singh PTU campus, here today. Around 212 students and teachers attended the camp. Dr Manjinder Sidhu, Dr Sonika Bansal and Dr Sonia Gupta examined the patients to mark the International Women's Day. The initiative was aimed at spreading awareness about breast cancer— the most common cancer among women.

Gynaecologist Ritu Garg said the breast cancer accounted for one-third of all cancers in women. It was the most common cancer in urban areas and second-most common cancer in rural areas after cervical cancer. It was hundred times more common in women than men. Prognosis and survival would depend upon type of cancer, stage, treatment and geographical location of the patient. With regular screening, it could be detected at an early stage, which would drastically increase the survival rate of the patient, she added.

She said hypertension, diabetes and depression were common diseases that most women complained of due to their unhealthy lifestyle and excessive burden on mind. Performing timely breast cancer screening among women, starting at the age of 30 years, could lead to dramatic improvement in breast cancer treatment. Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) and mammography were standard screening modalities for breast cancer. Physical examination should be done every three years in 20-39 years of age group and yearly after 40 years, said Dr Garg. Dietician Sonia Gupta said though there were no definite conclusions about link between breast cancer and healthy diet, there were benefits for women who maintain a healthy lifestyle. Studies suggest that regular exercise could reduce risk of breast cancer by as much as one-third. Radiation oncologist Sidhu said 20 per cent of women who developed breast cancer have a family history of the disease. A history of cancer of the uterine lining, ovarian cancer or colon cancer has also been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Excessive exposure to radiation or chemicals was also a risk factor contributing towards carcinoma breast.